breath

the vapour, heat, or odour of exhaled air: his breath on the window melted the frost

5.

a slight gust of air

6.

a short pause or rest: take a breath for five minutes

7.

a brief time: it was done in a breath

8.

a suggestion or slight evidence; suspicion: a breath of scandal

9.

a whisper or soft sound

10.

life, energy, or vitality: the breath of new industry

11.

(phonetics) the passage of air through the completely open glottis without vibration of the vocal cords, as in exhaling or pronouncing fricatives such as (f) or (h) or stops such as (p) or (k) Compare voice (sense 11)

12.

a breath of fresh air, a refreshing change from what one is used to

13.

catch one's breath, to rest until breathing is normal, esp after exertion

14.

hold one's breath, to wait expectantly or anxiously

15.

in the same breath, done or said at the same time

16.

out of breath, gasping for air after exertion

17.

save one's breath, to refrain from useless talk

18.

take one's breath away, to overwhelm with surprise, etc

19.

under one's breath, below one's breath, in a quiet voice or whisper

Word Origin

Old English brǣth; related to brǣdan to burn, Old High German brādam heat, breath

Old English bræð "odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor" (Old English word for "air exhaled from the lungs" was æðm), from Proto-Germanic *bræthaz "smell, exhalation" (cf. Old High German bradam, German Brodem "breath, steam"), from PIE root *gwhre- "to breathe, smell."